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"A tavola non si invecchia", at the table we never get old. The recipes that will keep me alive and present on my kids and grandkids life. Let my passion for cooking help you cook food from around the globe, with new and enticing flavors.

Pita Bread

Pita Bread

Pita Bread reminds me of the bread from my mom's hometown, Tarma in Junin, Peru. Tarma is such a lovely town, where almost everybody knows each other. The bread is sold in big baskets on the corners of the busy streets, early in the morning when we went visit our Aunt Chela, we will go out to buy the bread and we always sneak and ate some extra ones on our way back. At least I did with my mom. Here is some pictures of my mom's town and of the bread from Tarma, Pita might not be the same but I can refresh my memories when I have it !!!

A view of the Valley of Tarma, so many good memories. I took this picture from Google

Ingredients

Preparation:

1. Scale by weight or measure unit all the ingredients.

2. Mix the water, yeast and sugar together using a small whisk. Place it in the proofing oven for 5 to 10 min.

3. In the mixing bowl put together 1 cup of the flour, salt, oil and the yeast mixture. Beat with paddle at medium speed until it looks like a elastic batter. After that cover with a cooking cloth or plastic wrap and place in proofing oven until a little bubbly, about 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Bring the batter out of the proofing oven and start mixing (fit your mixer with a paddle), star adding the flour little by little, about 1 cup total, because if you add all the flour it will KILL your KITCHEN-AID. At this point speed up to medium speed and beet really fast , to develop gluten.

5. After 2 minutes change the fitting of the mixer to the HOOK. After that start adding the rest of the flour, here is the tricky part. Sometimes I add all the flour, sometimes only 3 cups total turns out to be enough; humidity in the weather takes a big influence in this, add flour until is not sticky and the dough is smooth and elastic.

6. Bring it out to a floured surface, knead to form a ball. Grease a bowl, place the dough and grease the top with olive oil. Cover with a kitchen cloth or plastic wrap, until double in size.

7. Punch down and divide dough in 16 little balls, round each one and leave them benching and cover them with a Kitchen Cloth. About 10 minutes to relax the gluten.

8. Heat oven at 425*F, greased stone or sheet pan and heat it thoroughly. (they need to be pipping hot to receive the dough)

9. Start flattening the balls of dough into flat circles, and place them in the hot stone or sheet pan, mine hold 5 or 6 at the time. Set clock for 3 minute, open oven and flip them for another 3 minutes. They should puff up and have a little golden color. Bring out to a board and brush if wanted with olive oil. ( also you can flavor the oil with spices and herbs to give it a different ending).

Pita Bread after the total cooking time, 6 minutes

10. Repeat until done with all the dough, when they are cool enough to handle open them. If you want to store them, put them on a bag. Because you open them while warm your little pockets will be ready to be fill with different things.

Have Fun Cooking and Enjoy

We served our version of Lam Vindaloo, that was actually made with Elk Meat, with Pita Bread that came right out of the oven. Try different things, specially Greek Food, Indian Cuisine and Mediterranean to accompany your yummy bread.